A standing-room-only crowd packed Toronto’s city council chamber Tuesday to speak out on a controversial plan to expand the Island Airport.

In the lead-up to Tuesday’s debate, two leading challengers to Mayor Rob Ford urged the committee to take quick action – with John Tory asking for a fast deferral of the matter until more information is available and Olivia Chow pressing for a prompt rejection of the plan. Mr. Ford, for his part, continued to advocate for a speedy approval and Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly is working on his own airport motion to move up the decision on whether to allow jets at the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

While the executive committee meeting is expected to go into the evening, Mr. Tory asked its members “to be brief” and not vote on the airport plan at all. “The Executive Council should immediately defer the debate on the Billy Bishop airport,” he said in a statement.

Ms. Chow urged members to turn down the plan. “We should leave it as it is,” she said in a statement.

On his way to the meeting, Mr. Ford told reporters he also wants quick action. “I support the Island Airport wholeheartedly. I’ve never changed my position on it,” he said as he headed to the special meeting. ? “We should get on with it. Stop playing the games.”